tomkins



(No Model.)

2 sheets sheet 1. A. S. TOMKINS. PORTABLE BED OR STRETOHER.

Patented Jan. 14, 1890.

N. PETERS. Phcio'Lilhngmphnr. Wnih'mglun. D, C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.,

(No Model.)

A. S. TOMKINS.

PORTABLE BED 0R STRETGHER Patented Jan. 14

UNITED 'TATES ATEN'I @rrrcn.

ALFRED SAVILL TOMKIN S, OF HOLMWVOOD, CATERHAM, COUNTY OF SURREY,

ENGLAND.

PORTABLE BED OR STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,572, dated January 14, 1890.

Application filed Tune 20, 1889. Serial No. 314,937. (No model.) Patented in France May 81, 1889, No- 198,639; in Belgium May 31, 1889, No. 86,460; in England May 31,1889,N0. 9,077, and in Italy August 20, 1889, L, 484.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED SAVILL TOM- KINS, captain in the Victoria Rifles, a citizen of England, residing at Holmwood, Oaterham,

in the county of Surrey, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Portable Beds or Stretchers, (for which I have obtained a patent in France, No. 198,639, dated May 31, 1889; in Belgium, No. 86,460, dated to May 31, 1889; in Italy, Vol. L, No. 434, dated August 20, 1889, and in Great Britain by an application for patent, which patent when granted will bear date May 31, 1889, No. 9,077,) of which the following is a specification I 5 This invention has for its object to provide a novel portable bed suited for military men or travelers, and which is also available as a stretcher; and to such end my invention consists in the features of construction and combination of devices hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a bottom plan View of the bed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view showing the bed folded for transportation. Fig. 5 is a sectional perspective View showing the manner of securing the canvas or other fabric to the side bars. Fig.

6 is a detail View of one of the sliding handles, showing its stop for limiting the outward sliding movement thereof.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will now (lescribe the same in detail, referring to the drawings, where it will be seen that each. of the two side bars A of the bedconsists of three pieces of woodtwo side pieces and a top piece-forming together a trough-like section, open below. In the hollow of each side bar are pivoted two legs B, which can be turned up and accommodated within the hollow, as indicated at B Fig. 2. There is also accommodated in the hollow, at the end of each side bar A, a handle 0. These handles can be drawn out as far as permitted by stops F, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, when the bed or stretcher has to be carried, or they can be slid lengthwise into the respective trough- 5 shaped side bars A, as shown in Fig. 4, so

Fig.0

thatthe bed shall occupy less'length in a tent or when packed for transport. There are also mounted in each side bar A a pair of rollers D, for convenience of running the packed-up bed into or out of a wagon. To the two side bars A are jointed two sets of toggle-arms E, which fold together when the bed is packed for transport, as shown in Fig.

4, or which can be stretched out, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a stop 6 being provided on one of the arms to prevent them from being folded more than a little beyond their middle position. A sliding ring e serves to keep the toggles from bending.

The canvas or other fabric G may be at- 65. tached and detached at will, and to accomplish this it is secured in the following manner: On the upper face of each of the side bars A are fixed a number of flat staples F. The canvas or other fabric Gr' has its edges folded over and stitched, so as to form on each side a loop H, through the lower part of which are holes, one corresponding in position with each of the staples F. The canvas or fabric G being laid with its side loops H resting on the side bars A and the staples F projecting through the lower sides of the loops, a lath or strip of wood K is thrust along the loops H and through the successive staples, thus securing the canvas or fabric to the bedframe, 011 withdrawing the laths K the canvas or fabric is at once released and can be removed for cleansing.

The handles 0 have attached near their ends short pieces S of string for pulling them '85 out from the hollows of the side bars A. When the frame is packed up for transport, as shown by Fig. 4, the canvas or fabric need not be detached, but may be accommodated by folding it over the frame, and when the bed is folded it may be tied by strings or straps S,which can also be employed to hold the legs in their open position, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, by tying such strings or straps to the toggle-arms E; but in practice these strings or straps are not indispensable.

Having thus described the nature of my invention and the best means Iknow of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim- 1. A portable bed or stretcher having cantoo vas or other fabric attached to two side frames, each of which is of hollow trough-like section, open below, with a pair of legs and a pair of rollers pivoted in its hollow and a pair of handles fitted to slide lengthwise into and out of the trough-like frames and having stops, the two frames being jointed together by togglearms, substantially as described.

2. Aportable bed eonsistingot' side frames, each having a series of staples F secured thereto, the canvas or other fabric G, having loops II, provided with openings, through which the staples project, and the strips K,

passing through the staples and resting on the loops of the canvas or other fabric, snb- I5 

